Shell catcher

ABSTRACT

A shell catcher for semi-automatic, auto-loading shotguns comprising means for at least partially blocking the ejection port of the gun, said means being movable between a blocking and non-blocking position, said means being automatically maintained in non-blocking position so long as one or more shells remain in the magazine of the gun, said means automatically moving to blocking position when the last shell of the magazine is fed to loading position so as to catch the last shell fired.

United States Patent 1191 Mylonas Apr. 30, 1974 SHELL CATCHER Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt I t.C tat Ml ,326Lld [76] men or 3: gg ig a Assistant Exammer-C. T. Jordan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Salter & Michaelson [22] Filed: July 16, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 379,736 57 ABSTRACT A shell catcher for semi-automatic, auto-loading shot- [52] U.S. Cl. 42/1 T guns comprising means for at least partially blocking [51] Int. Cl. F41c 27/00 the ejection port of the gun, said means being movable [58] Field of Search 42/1 T between a blocking and non-blocking position, said means being automatically maintained in non-blocking References Cited position so long as one or more shells remain in the UNITED STATES PATENTS magazine of the gun, said means automatically moving 3 087 387 4/1963 Browning 42/1 T blocking when the last of the maga 3:153:98l 10/1964 Brass 42 1 T line is fed loading Position 80 as to catch the last 3,603,015 9/1971 Jensen 42/1 T Shell fired- 3,609,900 10/1971 Bemocco, Jr.... 42/l T 3,733,728 5/1973 Kuslich 42/1 T 8 Clam, 11 Drawmg SHELL CATCI-IER BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to semi-automatic, auto-loading shotguns, such as the 12 gauge Remington 1100, and is particularlyconcerned with the provision of a shell catcher for guns of this type which will automatically catch only the last shell fired by the gun. Of course, the present invention is also effective where only a single shell is being fired by a shotgun; but the prime objective and advantage of the present invention is the provision of shell catching means for a shotgun where a magazine is provided so that a plurality of shots may be fired in rapid order, the shell catcher of the present invention automatically remaining ineffective until no shells remain in the magazine, at which point the catcher automatically moves to blocking position to catch the last shell being fired.

Thus, the shell catcher of the present invention may be permanently mounted on the gun and need not be manually moved to operative or inoperative position as the case may demand.

The broad idea of utilizing shell catchers on automatic and semi-automatic shotguns is well known. There are many reasons for using such catchers, most important perhaps being that many shooters wish to retain the empty shells for reloading. If the shell is ejected from the ejection port of the gun, as is the usual practice, it is necessary to locate and retrieve the empty shells. Some examples of the prior art relating to shell catchers of this general type are Bernocco U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,900; Jensen U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,015; and Browning U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,387. The problem with these prior art shell catchers is that they either have to be manually moved to inoperative position when multiple firing is to take place, or to operative position when the last or a single shot is to be fired, such as in Bernocco and Jensen, or else the shell catcher has to be physically removed from the gun when multiple firings are to take place as in Browning. It will be understood, of course, that where a gun is being fired a plurality of times in rapid order, it is not feasible to attempt to catch the shells, with the exception of the last one, because each empty shell has to be removed from the ejection port before the gun can properly load and fire again. Recognizing this, the present invention provides a shell catcher which will be effective to catch the empty shell if only a single shell is being fired, or if multiple firing is to take place, the shell catcher will automatically be maintained in non-blocking position so long as a shell remains in the magazine of the gun, and automatically moves to blocking position when no shells remain in the magazine in order to catch the last shell being fired.

There is a shell catching device that has heretofore been used which is effective to catch a plurality of shells, but this device comprises a housing which protrudes significantly to the side of the gun and obstructs the view of the shooter. Also, this device must be mounted and removed each time the gun is used.

It is therefore a primary object of my invention to provide a shell catcher for semi-automatic, autoloading shotguns and the like, wherein the catcher may be permanently mounted on the gun, the gun being otherwise conventional and unaltered.

Another object is the provision of a shell catcher of the character described, so constructed that it will automatically be maintained in non-blocking position so long as a shell remains in the magazine of the gun but will automatically move to blocking position when the magazine becomes empty in order to catch the last shell being fired.

Another object is the provision of a shell catcher of the character described which is simple and economically feasible to manufacture and which is easy to mount on an existing gun.

Another object is the provision of a shell catcher of the character described that either may block the ejection port of the gun sufficiently to maintain the empty shell completely within the ejection port, or else may block the ejection port sufficiently so that the shell will be partially ejected for ready grasping and removal.

A further object is the provision of a shell catcher of the character described that is durable and long-lasting and in no way adversely effects either the appearance or operation of the gun.

Another object is the provision of a shell catcher of the character described which does not obstruct in any way the view of the shooter, being for all practical purposes invisible from an aiming position.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a shotgun of the type with which the instant invention is concerned, the shell catcher being shown in blocking position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the shell catcher in non-blocking position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the shell catcher per se;

FIG. 4 is an end view thereof looking from the right with respect to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the pivot pin on which the shell catcher is mounted;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the shell catcher in blocking position;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary top elevational view showing the shell catcher retaining a partially ejected shell; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the partially ejected shells.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown at 10 a conventional automatic shotgun comprising a stock assembly 12, a barrel assembly 14 and a receiver assembly 16. The receiver assembly comprises as conventional parts thereof an ejection port 18 communicating with receiver chamber 20, a reciprocable bolt 22, tubular magazine 24 and trigger 26. In the operation of the conventional gun 10, the bolt 22 is manually pulled back until it catches in its retracted position. A shell is then inserted through the ejection port into the receiving chamber after which the bolt is released to move the loaded shell into the firing chamber. Extra shells are then loaded into the magazine 24. When the trigger is actuated to fire the gun, the bolt automatically retracts and pulls back the empty shell which then ejects laterally through ejection port 18. At the same time, a conventional feeder or transfer mechanism becomes operative to transfer the next shell from the magazine to the ejection port, and then forward movement of the bolt causes the gun to once again load and be ready for firing. The same procedure is followed until the last shell has been fired, at which point the bolt remains in its retracted position.

The shell catcher of the present invention is shown generally at 28 and is preferably of metallic construction; although, any suitable structurally strong material could be used. The catcher 28 comprises a bifurcated rear portion 30 pivotally attached to opposite sides of the receiver assembly by means of pin 32 having reduced ends 34. As will be seen more clearly in FIG. 5, the length of the enlarged diameter portion of pin 32 is slightly greater than the width of receiver 16, whereupon the opposite side portions 30 are maintained outwardly from the side surfaces of the receiver assembly so that when the catcher moves in the manner hereinafter to be described, it will not scrape against the sides of the gun.

Extending forwardly from the side of bifurcated portion 30 that is on the side of the gun adjacent ejection port 18 is a plate-like portion 36 having an upper cam edge 38 and an outwardly extending flange 40 at its lower edge. At the forward end of member 36 there is provided an integral extension 42 which extends forwardly and then inwardly and terminates with an upwardly extending portion 44 having spaced fingers 46. In FIG. 2, the fingers 46 are positioned so as to engage against the base portion of the forwardmost shell 48 in magazine 24. It will be understood that the tubular magazine 24 is of conventional construction and comprises resilient follower means 50 which normally urge a plurality of shells toward the forwardmost end 52 of the magazine with part of the base of the last loaded shell 48 protruding from the end of the magazine as shown in FIG. 2, whereupon it is engaged by the fingers 46, as aforedescribed.

Adjacent the bifurcated end 30 of catcher 28 there is provided suitable means such as an integral lug 54 which receives one end of a spring 56, the other end of said spring being secured to the gun by any suitable means, as at 58. As will be seen, the spring 56 imparts a counterclockwise moment to catcher 28 around pivot pin 32 whereby the fingers 46 are resiliently urged into engagement with the leading or forwardmost shell 48 in magazine 24. With the fingers 46 so engaged with shell 48, the upper edge 38 of catcher 28 is located adjacent the bottom of ejection port 18 so as not to obstruct same sufiiciently to prevent a shell from being completely ejected therefrom. Thus, so long as there is a shell in the forwardmost position in magazine 24, the catcher 28 will not prevent the normal ejection of empty shells from ejection port 18.

As previously explained, each time the gun is fired, the bolt 22 automatically retracts. During said retraction, the outwardly extending handle portion of bolt 22 engages upper cam edge 38 of the catcher to cam the catcher slightly downwardly, or in a clockwise direction, against the action of spring 56. This downward or clockwise movement of the catcher 28 lowers the fingers 46 sufficiently so that the forwardmost shell in magazine 24 can be transferred to loading position and so that the next shell in the magazine 24 can move to the forwardmost position in the magazine pursuant to the urging of follower 50. As soon as the bolt has retracted sufiiciently to disengage from cam edge 38, spring 56 again urges the catcher upwardly or in a counterclockwise direction until fingers 46 once again engage against the forwardmost shell in magazine 24.

When the last shell in magazine 24 has been transferred to loading position, the catcher will now be free to move further upwardly in a counterclockwise direction, as illustrated in FIG. 8, until such movement is limited by engagement of portion 42 with the underside of the gun, or by engagement of the top edge of portion 44 with the protruding portion 51 of follower 50, as shown in FIG. 9. In this position, the upper edge 38 of catcher 28 has now moved upwardly a sufficient distance to block ejection port 18 whereupon when the last shell has been fired and the empty shell carried back to ejection chamber 20 in the manner previously described, ejection of the empty shell through port 18 will be prevented. Preferably, the catcher 28 is designed and dimensioned so that when it is in its blocking position, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the port 18 is blocked only partially so that the empty shell can partially eject therefrom, as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and l 1; although, the upper edge of the catcher will prevent the shell from completely ejecting. The exposed end of the shell may then easily be grasped and pulled outwardly when it is desired to remove the shell; or in the alternative, the outwardly extending flange 40 may be engaged and pressed downwardly to move the catcher to nonblocking position, whereupon the shell may be manually removed. Of course, the catcher 28 may be designed and dimensioned so that when it is in its blocking position, the empty shell will be maintained completely within chamber 20. In this case, the only way the empty shell can be removed would be by depressing handle or flange 40 and then turning the gun so that the empty shell falls outwardly through port 18.

It will thus be seen that where the gun is loaded with only a single shell or where, when the magazine 24 is loaded with additional shells but no shells remain therein, the catcher 28 will automatically position itself in blocking position to prevent ejection of the empty shell through port 18. Where, however, one or more extra shells still remain in the magazine 24, the catcher 28 will automatically be maintained in non-blocking position until no shells remain in magazine 24, at which point the catcher automatically moves to blocking position to prevent ejection of the last shell being fired. The operation of the catcher 28 is therefore completely automatic and the only time the catcher has to be manually engaged is when it is desirable or necessary to engage handle 40 to depress the catcher to permit removal of the empty shell through port 18. Mounting of the catcher on the gun is an extremely simple procedure, and the mounted catcher does not interfere in any way with the normal operation of the gun.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A shell catcher for automatic shotguns and the like of the type comprising a reciprocable bolt for loading the gun, an ejection port from which empty shells are ejected subsequent to firing of the gun and a magazine for storing one or more shells with means for automatically transferring a shell from a forwardmost position in the magazine to loading position after the gun is fired, said catcher comprising a member movably mounted on the gun between a first or blocking position wherein said member obstructs said ejection port sufficiently to block complete ejection of a shell therefrom, and a second or non-blocking position wherein said member does not block said port sufficiently to prevent complete ejection of a shell therefrom, means normally urging said catcher to its said blocking position, and means associated with said catcher maintaining it in its non-blocking position responsive to the presence of a shell in said forwardmost position in the magazine.

2. The shell catcher of claim 1, further characterized in that said member is pivotally mounted on the gun.

3. The shell catcher of claim 1, further characterized in that said last mentioned means comprises an extending portion connected to said member, said portion engaging any shell located in the aforesaid forwardmost position in the magazine to prevent movement of said catcher to its blocking position.

4. The shell catcher of claim 3, further characterized in that said member has a cam portion normally positioned in the path of travel of said reciprocable bolt, whereby when said bolt retracts, said member is automatically cammed to a third position in which said extending portion is retracted from its position of engagement with said forwardmost shell to permit said shell to be transferred to loading position and to permit any next shell which may be in the magazine to move to said forwardmost position therein.

5. The shell catcher of claim 4, further characterized in that said member is pivotally mounted to said gun, and said urging means comprises a spring.

6. The shell catcher of claim 1, further characterized in that means are provided on said member for positively limiting movement thereof when said member reaches its said blocking position.

7. In the catcher of claim 6, said limiting means being located so as to cause said member to only partially block said port, whereby an empty shell will be partially ejected from said port to facilitate grasping and removal thereof.

8. In the catcher of claim I, handle means extending outwardly from said member to facilitate manual movement thereof to non-blocking position. 

1. A shell catcher for automatic shotguns and the like of the type comprising a reciprocable bolt for loading the gun, an ejection port from which empty shells are ejected subsequent to firing of the gun and a magazine for storing one or more shells with means for automatically transferring a shell from a forwardmost position in the magazine to loading position after the gun is fired, said catcher comprising a member movably mounted on the gun between a first or blocking position wherein said member obstructs said ejection port sufficiently to block complete ejection of a shell therefrom, and a second or nonblocking position wherein said member does not block said port sufficiently to prevent complete ejection of a shell therefrom, means normally urging said catcher to its said blocking position, and means associated with said catcher maintaining it in its nonblocking position responsive to the presence of a shell in said forwardmost position in the magazine.
 2. The shell catcher of claim 1, further characterized in that said member is pivotally mounted on the gun.
 3. The shell catcher of claim 1, further characterized in that said last menTioned means comprises an extending portion connected to said member, said portion engaging any shell located in the aforesaid forwardmost position in the magazine to prevent movement of said catcher to its blocking position.
 4. The shell catcher of claim 3, further characterized in that said member has a cam portion normally positioned in the path of travel of said reciprocable bolt, whereby when said bolt retracts, said member is automatically cammed to a third position in which said extending portion is retracted from its position of engagement with said forwardmost shell to permit said shell to be transferred to loading position and to permit any next shell which may be in the magazine to move to said forwardmost position therein.
 5. The shell catcher of claim 4, further characterized in that said member is pivotally mounted to said gun, and said urging means comprises a spring.
 6. The shell catcher of claim 1, further characterized in that means are provided on said member for positively limiting movement thereof when said member reaches its said blocking position.
 7. In the catcher of claim 6, said limiting means being located so as to cause said member to only partially block said port, whereby an empty shell will be partially ejected from said port to facilitate grasping and removal thereof.
 8. In the catcher of claim 1, handle means extending outwardly from said member to facilitate manual movement thereof to non-blocking position. 